New Mexico Lobos

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New Mexico Lobos
New Mexico Lobos logo.svg
University University of New Mexico
Conference Mountain West
NCAA Division I (FBS)
Athletic directorEddie Nunez
Location Albuquerque, New Mexico
Varsity teams18 (8 men’s and 10 women’s)
Football stadium University Stadium
Basketball arena The Pit
Baseball stadium Santa Ana Star Field
Softball stadium Lobo Softball Field
Soccer stadium Albuquerque Convention Center
Great Friends of UNM Track Stadium/UNM Soccer Complex [1] [2]
Other venues Johnson Gymnasium
Mascot Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy
Nickname Lobo
Fight song Hail, New Mexico
ColorsCherry and silver [3]
   
Website www.golobos.com
New Mexico Lobos wordmark.svg
Team NCAA championships
3
Individual and relay NCAA champions
55 [4]
New Mexico is a member of the Mountain West Conference MW logo in New Mexico colors.svg
New Mexico is a member of the Mountain West Conference

The New Mexico Lobos are the athletic teams that represent the University of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque. The university participates in the NCAA Division I in the Mountain West Conference (MW) since 1999, after leaving the Western Athletic Conference. The university's athletic program fields teams in 18 varsity sports.

Contents

UNM teams have won 3 national championships. The women's cross-country won the NCAA championship in 2015 and 2017 and the Division I Skiing championship in 2004.

History

The Lobos name began in 1920. A UNM Weekly student newspaper editor, George S. Bryan, came up with the teams' name, the "Lobos", which is the Spanish word for wolf. Previously the University's teams were referred to as the "University Boys" or "Varsities". [5]

School spirit

School spirit
University of New Mexico Spirit Marching Band.jpg
Spirit Marching Band
New Mexico Lobos Spirit Squad.jpg
Spirit Squad

School colors

In the early years of the university, the school colors were black and gold. Tradition holds that in the 1890s, a faculty member suggested the school adopt colors more representative of New Mexico. Crimson and silver were initially suggested based on, respectively, the crimson evening glow of the Sandia Mountains and the description of the Rio Grande as a "silver ribbon winding through the valley" as seen by students and professors taking picnics in the Sandias. Crimson was later changed to the cherry color which is the color of the Sandia sunset. Cherry and Silver became the official colors in 1897. The school also used turquoise as an official color from 1973 to 1979. [6]

Spirit Marching Band

Formed in 1917, [7] the Spirit Marching Band performs at football games during pre-game and at halftime, and accompanies the football team to all bowl games. [8] The band hosts the Zia Marching Band Fiesta, a regional marching band competition. [8]

Spirit Program and mascot

The University of New Mexico Spirit Program consists of two co-ed cheerleading teams (one large and one small), a dance team and the Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy mascots. The Spirit Program supports both men’s and women’s NCAA sports. [9] The small co-ed team ranked 7th in the nation at the UCA College Nationals in 2010. [9]

The University mascots are anthropomorphized wolves or "Lobos" named Louie and Lucy, they appear at sporting and social events. [10] Lobo Louie was created in the early 1960s and Lobo Lucy was created in the early 1980s. [11]

For a brief period in the 1920s, a live wolf pup appeared at every football game. Jim Young, a government trapper, caught a wolf in the western part of the state. [12] A child teased the wolf at a game and was bitten, which forced officials of the school to get rid of the wolf. [11]

Fight song

In 1930, the UNM fight song was created. Dean Lena Clauve, a music education professor, wrote the music. Dr. George St. Clair, an English professor, wrote the lyrics. [13]

Sports sponsored

Men's sportsWomen's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross countryGolf
Football Soccer
GolfSoftball
TennisSwimming and diving
Track and fieldTennis
Track and field
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

The University of New Mexico sponsors teams in 8 men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned sports, competing in the Mountain West Conference.

Baseball

A 2015 baseball game between New Mexico and Oregon State New Mexico vs. Oregon State baseball (16524558146) (cropped).jpg
A 2015 baseball game between New Mexico and Oregon State

The baseball team's head coach is Tod Brown, the pitching coach is Michael Lopez and the assistant coach/recruiting coach is Nate Causey. [14]

The Lobo baseball program began in 1899. [15]

In recent years the Lobo baseball program has seen much success; the team competed in the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament. Prior to 2010, the Lobos had not made an appearance in the tournament since 1962. In 2012 the Lobos captured both the Mountain West Regular Season and Conference Tournament titles. The Lobos have not made a College World Series appearance in its program's history.

UNM's baseball team plays at Santa Ana Star Field on the university's campus. They averaged 1,294 fans for the 2011 season and ranked 43rd in the NCAA per game. [16]

Men's basketball

Current Head Coach: Richard Pitino

Assistant Coach: Andy Hill

Assistant Coach: Isaac Chew

Assistant Coach: Eric Brown [14]

The first men's basketball team (1903) New Mexico Basketball 1903.png
The first men's basketball team (1903)

The Lobo basketball programs were established in 1899, but began its first competitive teams in 1903 and 1906, respectively. In 1920 a head coach would be hired, Roy W. Johnson. The current head coach is Richard Pitino

Both men's and women's teams play in The Pit, formally known as Dreamstyle Arena, built in 1966. The Pit seats 15,411 spectators and ranks nationally in attendance for both men's and women's programs. Previously the Lobos played in Johnson Gymnasium and Carlisle Gymnasium, which both still exist on the main campus.

The Lobo men's basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times and have reached the second round seven times. UNM's most successful coaches in terms of wins are Dave Bliss, Bob King, Roy Johnson, and Steve Alford.

Women's basketball

Current Head Coach: Mike Bradbury
Assistant Coach: Valerie King
Assistant Coach: Keith Freeman [14]

The Lobo women's basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 8 times. Former head coach Don Flanagan (1999–2011) is the most successful coach in terms of wins.[ citation needed ]

Men's and women's cross country

Current Head Coach: Joe Franklin

Assistant Coach: James Butler

Assistant Coach: Dr. Richard Ceronie

Assistant Coach: Laura Bowerman [14]

The women's cross-country team at the University of New Mexico, known as the New Mexico Lobos, won the NCAA championship in 2015. In 2015, head coach Joe Franklin was named NCAA women's coach of the year for the NCAA Mountain Region and the NCAA nationally.

In 2017, UNM won the women's national team title, and Lobo Ednah Kurgat won the individual title. The Lobo women were second place nationally in 2018.

New Mexico women's XC

National
Champions

2017

National
Champions

2015

Football

Current Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall
The first football team (1894) UNM Football team 1894.jpg
The first football team (1894)

The Lobo football program began in 1892, but compiled its first competitive team in 1894. [17]

The Lobos were previously coached by Mike Locksley from 2009-2011. He was fired in late 2011 after a dismal 2–26 coaching record in 2+12 years at New Mexico. Locksley took the place of Rocky Long (1998–2008), who was the winningest coach in the school's history. [10]

The Lobo football program has appeared in 12 bowl games since 1939. The Lobos have captured four wins in bowl games, including the 1946 Sun Bowl, the 1961 Aviation Bowl, and the 2007 and 2016 New Mexico Bowl.

UNM usually plays two large rivalry games each year with non-conference opponents, the Arizona Wildcats and the New Mexico State Aggies. [10] The Rivalry with the Aggies is referred to as the "Rio Grande Rivalry", the rivalry first began in 1894. The Lobos have led the series since the 1940s; it stands at 66–31–5 in favor of the Lobos. The Rivalry with the Wildcats is referred to as the "Kit Carson Rifle"; the rivalry began in the early 1920s. The Wildcats of Arizona have led the series. The last meeting with the teams was in 2008. The Lobos defeated the Wildcats 36–28. [18]

Men's golf

Current Head Coach: Glen Millican

Assistant Coach: Gustavo Morantes

Volunteer Coach: Sean Carlon

Dir of player personnel: Wright Zimmerly [14]

The men's golf team has won 24 conference championships: [19]

Many Lobo golfers have gone on to play and win on the PGA Tour including: Tommy Armour III (four wins), Charlie Beljan (one), Brad Bryant (one), Curt Byrum (one), Tom Byrum (one), and Tim Herron (four).

Women's golf

Current Head Coach: Jill Trujillo

Associate Head Coach: Britney Choy [14]

Women's soccer

Current Head Coach: Heather Dyche
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator: Karley Nelson
Assistant Coach: Paul Maestas [14]

Softball

Head Softball Coach: Nicole Dickson

Assistant Coach: Morgan Spearman [14]

The Lobos softball team has appeared in two Women's College World Series in 1980 and 1981. [20]

Men's and Women's Track and Field

Current Head Coach: Joe Franklin

Joe Franklin is quoted as saying "We have to keep it fun" [21] Coach Franklin was at Purdue from 1986-1991. This upcoming year will be coach Franklin's fourteenth year as the Track and Field's head coach. [22]

Franklin has led his team to 12 straight women's Mountain West titles. [14]

Former varsity sports

Rivalries

Championships

NCAA team championships

New Mexico has won 3 NCAA team national championships. [28]

National runners-up

Notable former Lobo athletes and coaches

Basketball

Football

Baseball

Track and Field

Golf

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of New Mexico</span> Public university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

The University of New Mexico is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in the state, and the largest by enrollment, with 22,630 students in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Stadium (Albuquerque)</span> Stadium at the University of New Mexico

University Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in the western United States, located on the south campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is the home field of New Mexico Lobos football, which competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference.

The New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico, competing in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I. The university established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899 and began competing with regional colleges after establishing an athletics department in 1920.

Norman Dale Ellenberger was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1972 to 1979, winning Western Athletic Conference championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiling an overall record of 134–62 (.684). His former players included future National Basketball Association (NBA) defensive stand-out Michael Cooper, who helped lead the 1977–78 team that was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally. Ellenberger was dismissed as Lobo head coach due to a recruiting scandal known as "Lobogate".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Lobos football</span> American college football team

The New Mexico Lobos football team is the intercollegiate football team at the University of New Mexico. The Lobos compete as a member of the Mountain West Conference. Their official colors are cherry and silver. The Lobos play their home games at University Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Neal</span> American basketball player and coach

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Pitino</span> American basketball coach (born 1982)

Richard William Pitino is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach of the University of New Mexico men's basketball team, From 2013 to 2021, he was head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team.

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The New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I. The team is coached by Mike Bradbury.

New Mexico Lobos baseball is a college baseball program of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos have won three conference tournaments, finished first in regular season conference play eight times, and appeared in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship five times. The team plays their home games on the University of New Mexico campus at Santa Ana Star Field. Tod Brown has been the head coach of the Lobos since the 2022 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Bradbury</span> American basketball coach

Michael Downs Bradbury is an American college basketball coach who is the current head coach of the New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team.

Greg Brown was an American basketball player and high school coach. He was known for his standout college career at the University of New Mexico, where he was Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year in 1994 and won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation's best player under six feet tall.

The women's cross-country team at the University of New Mexico, known as the New Mexico Lobos, won the NCAA championship in 2015 and 2017. Also in 2017, Lobo Ednah Kurgat won the individual title with a record-setting time of 19:19.42. The team placed second nationally in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Birmingham</span> American baseball coach

Raymond Joseph Birmingham Jr. is an American former college baseball coach. He was a baseball coach at the high school, junior college, and four-year college levels from 1978 to 1983 and 1988 to 2021, starting at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico from 1978 to 1983, then the College of the Southwest from 1988 to 1989, New Mexico Junior College from 1990 to 2007, and finally the New Mexico Lobos from 2008 to 2021. Upon retirement in 2021, Birmingham finished as the winningest baseball coach in New Mexico history and the winningest coach in Mountain West Conference history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pit (arena)</span> Basketball arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

The Pit is an indoor arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving primarily as the home venue of the University of New Mexico Lobos basketball teams. The facility opened in 1966 as University Arena but gained the nickname "The Pit" due to its innovative subterranean design, with its playing floor 37 feet (11 m) below street level. The arena is located on the UNM South Campus and has a seating capacity of 15,411 for basketball and up to 13,480 for concerts, with 40 luxury suites and 365 club seats.

Tod Markey Brown is an American baseball coach and former pitcher, currently serving as head baseball coach of the New Mexico Lobos. He played college baseball for Arizona for four seasons, helping the team to the 1992 Pac-10 Conference championship and falling just shy of the 1993 College World Series. He then served as the head coach of the North Dakota State Bison (2008–2021).

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References

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